Desert Bighorn Sheep

Ovis canadensis nelsoni

Th desert bighorn sheep is a subspecies of the big horn sheep. The desert big horn can be found through out the mountain ranges of the west and south west United States and down into northwestern Mexico. Of the Bighorn sheep there are three subspecies, the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep and the desert bighorn sheep. Of which the desert bighorn sheep has diverged into three lineages, Nelson’s, Mexican, and Peninsular. These three lineages can be found in very different desert climates .

This has been an elusive animal in which I know there is a population within our mountains, but I had never seen any sign that they where actually here until this picture was captured. This is the one and only sign that they are in my mountain range.

Number of confirmed specimens : 1
Number of pictures : 1

References

Reis, Fiona A. A Field Guide to Mammals of North America North of Mexico. 4th ed., Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006, pp. 92-93, 160-161, 507-508

Desert bighorn sheep, Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 01 April, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_bighorn_sheep. Accessed 26, April 2026

Bighorn sheep, Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 April, 2026, Bighorn sheep – Wikipedia. Accessed 04, May 2026